Allen West warns against ¿nightmare of Islamism¿ in Libya

September 12, 2012|William E. Gibson

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida warned on Wednesday that Libya may be headed down a violent path, and South Florida Congressman Allen West said the Arab Spring revolutionary movement has led to a “nightmare of Islamism.”

Both Floridians condemned the murder of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans by a mob of protesters Tuesday night at the U.S. consulate in Libya.

Rubio feels a personal connection to Stevens after meeting him in Washington and during the senator’s trip to Libya last year.

The Republican from West Miami, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, had urged more aggressive U.S. military action in Libya to aid rebel forces that ousted the regime of Moammar Gadhafi. For Rubio, it was an example of the need to confront adversaries and assert American leadership.

Since then, he and other members of Congress have become concerned about violence in Egypt as well as Libya.

"If left unchecked, violent attacks like these against our embassies and diplomats will lead Libya and Egypt down a dark path and rob them of their hopes of a more prosperous and democratic future,” Rubio said on Wednesday.

West, a Republican who has moved to Palm Beach Gardens, was wary of U.S. intervention in Libya for fear that the revolution there would bring anti-American extremists to power.

“I don’t know who those guys are,” West said at the time.

On Wednesday, West condemned the deaths of Americans “at the hands of intolerant, barbaric, radical Muslims.”

“Americans need to question whether the deaths of these innocent patriots could have been avoided. The Obama Administration touted the Arab Spring as an awakening of freedom, which we now see is a nightmare of Islamism."

The ambassador and three members of his staff reportedly were killed when protesters attacked the consulate out of anger over a film that ridiculed the Islamic prophet Muhammad.